1. Describe the stasis in the play: where, when, who, what, etc. in a paragraph.
The stasis: This plays starts in 1966 and focuses on the central characters Brenda Jean Aoki and her boyfriend, Kali. There is also Brenda and Kali's family, Smoke (Kali's best friend), and Brenda's classmates Sherry and Steven. At first, Brenda is introduced to Kali by Auntie Mary, who she meets with at her father's pharmacy, at a barbecue. Brenda and Kali start getting closer to each other, body-surfing and spending time together. They soon get in a relationship, but their love is tested when there is a fight between the Westside Warriors and Twelve O'Clock High.
2. What is the intrusion?
The intrusion is when the fight between the Westside Warriors and Twelve O'Clock High happened. Before this scene, everything was generally static; Brenda and Kali's relationship was strong, there was relatively no conflict, and Brenda was relatively quiet about her wants. After the big fight, Brenda and Kali are seen arguing about their future together, the tension between the two parts of town was thicker than ever, and Brenda has adamantly voiced her wishes to go to college to get an education. After this moment, the play's pace started to pick up more.
3. What is the unique factor?
The unique factor is that the two groups of town never really saw eye to eye. Conflict was likely normal, but the fact that Brenda got along with both groups was interesting. She was simultaneously part of both groups but never really belonged to one set group. This brought up the intrusion and major conflict because it helped spark disturbances in her relationship with Kali and helped set the play rolling in motion.
4. What is the dramatic question that should be answered by the end of the play?
Will Brenda and Kali be able to spend their future together despite everything that has happened?
5. Provide an illustration of the two kinds of exposition that the play has in it.
One character knows: At one point of the play, only Brenda knows what is going on in her life because she moved away from her community. No one else knows what is going on, and this helps illustrate the idea that she is virtually by herself (with the addition of her roommate) in the play. It highlights being alone, especially when she comes back and everyone asks about her life. It shows the audience how much she missed out on when she left.
Multiple characters know: the failing friendship between Kali and Smoke. Many characters such as Kali and Smoke themselves realize their bond isn't as strong as before. Sherry is even surprised that Brenda did not know this because it seems that almost everybody knows. The failing friendship between them serves to highlight that friendships can still involve betrayal and falling out. This provides foreshadowing for what will happen between the two of them at the end of the play.
6. Identify the most theatrical moment in the play and of what importance it seems to be.
The most theatrical moment in the play is, in my opinion, right before the play ends when Smoke and Kali reunite. They both wronged each other but still feel that there is a need for a battle to settle things. This could possibly mean that their brotherhood means very little in the long run. Even though they had been with each other through hardships, in the end it did not really matter since they are eager to fight. This moment peaks when Kali is shot by Smoke's son. This shows that Dreamer has no sympathy for Kali. This then highlights how strained the relationship between Kali and Smoke is if Dreamer did not care for his father's best friend.
7. List some of the themes of the play.
Some of the themes are family, love, strife, death, pregnancy, legal issues, race and ethnicity, education, sacrifice, and isolation.
8. What does the narrator want and what are some obstacles that stand in the way of her getting what she wants?
Initially, Brenda wants Kali and gets him; they get into a relationship. Then Brenda wants to pursue her education and go to college. Some obstacles include:
Other people: Kali and Brenda's family strongly disprove of Brenda's wishes to go to college. Kali even leaves her after hearing this, and her family insist that she stay and take care of her siblings at home. Also, her education made her parents so mad that they kicked her out of the home.
Society: Brenda's dad even mentions how no one will want to marry a woman that is too smart. If Brenda were weak-willed she would have succumbed to society's expectations to being a perfect woman.
Then Brenda wants to be with Kali again. Some obstacles include:
Herself: She is unsure she can take of Kali and help him through his problems. It is likely that he developed a mental disorder from being in the cage, and she cannot care for him as much as she wants to.
Other people: he is killed by an other person (Dreamer), so she cannot be with him since he is dead
Society: Kali does morally questionable things such as not having etiquette (ex: when he started humping George in public), so Brenda cannot be with him until he learns to calm down.
9. Describe some possible images in the play and how does the title help us understand the play.
Kali's birthday: this emits a warm, captivating aura. It is a sweet and tender moment that includes celebration of a birthday as well as a new relationship. It is a welcoming image, which helps portray the beginning of Kali and Brenda's relationship. This is where the play's background builds up for the plot.
When they are chased by the Corner Boys: this is a tense moment in the play. The main characters are found trying to escape the wrath of the Corner Boys. Even though this is a harsh moment, Sherry's presence helps lighten the mood since she sees this as an exciting moment. This scene introduces Sherry as a more prominent character in the play, especially as it progresses.
The title helps us understand the play because the "queen's garden" refers to Auntie Mary's rose garden. In this garden, the last moments of the play take place where Kali is shot and the community starts to fall apart. This place marks the events that happened that night, and Brenda can never forget about it. The title hints at the resolution and ending of the play, so the audience can understand that both the peak and the resolution of the play happen at the queen's garden.
10. Briefly define the family relationships that are examined in the play.
Family is an important aspect of this play. Many of the families portrayed in this play are broken. For example, Hai, Brenda's roommate, does not have a family, Smoke is more or less adopted by Auntie Mary and leaves his lover and son at the end of the play, Rosie's lover is killed in the midst of the play, and Brenda's family kicks her out of the house. Even Kali and Brenda cannot be together in the end. These familial relationships are mostly strained. In this play, the relationships are both weak and strong. They initially start off strong but many of them fall apart by the end of the play. This could portray how life can be cruel and not everything can be perfect.
The stasis: This plays starts in 1966 and focuses on the central characters Brenda Jean Aoki and her boyfriend, Kali. There is also Brenda and Kali's family, Smoke (Kali's best friend), and Brenda's classmates Sherry and Steven. At first, Brenda is introduced to Kali by Auntie Mary, who she meets with at her father's pharmacy, at a barbecue. Brenda and Kali start getting closer to each other, body-surfing and spending time together. They soon get in a relationship, but their love is tested when there is a fight between the Westside Warriors and Twelve O'Clock High.
2. What is the intrusion?
The intrusion is when the fight between the Westside Warriors and Twelve O'Clock High happened. Before this scene, everything was generally static; Brenda and Kali's relationship was strong, there was relatively no conflict, and Brenda was relatively quiet about her wants. After the big fight, Brenda and Kali are seen arguing about their future together, the tension between the two parts of town was thicker than ever, and Brenda has adamantly voiced her wishes to go to college to get an education. After this moment, the play's pace started to pick up more.
3. What is the unique factor?
The unique factor is that the two groups of town never really saw eye to eye. Conflict was likely normal, but the fact that Brenda got along with both groups was interesting. She was simultaneously part of both groups but never really belonged to one set group. This brought up the intrusion and major conflict because it helped spark disturbances in her relationship with Kali and helped set the play rolling in motion.
4. What is the dramatic question that should be answered by the end of the play?
Will Brenda and Kali be able to spend their future together despite everything that has happened?
5. Provide an illustration of the two kinds of exposition that the play has in it.
6. Identify the most theatrical moment in the play and of what importance it seems to be.
The most theatrical moment in the play is, in my opinion, right before the play ends when Smoke and Kali reunite. They both wronged each other but still feel that there is a need for a battle to settle things. This could possibly mean that their brotherhood means very little in the long run. Even though they had been with each other through hardships, in the end it did not really matter since they are eager to fight. This moment peaks when Kali is shot by Smoke's son. This shows that Dreamer has no sympathy for Kali. This then highlights how strained the relationship between Kali and Smoke is if Dreamer did not care for his father's best friend.
7. List some of the themes of the play.
Some of the themes are family, love, strife, death, pregnancy, legal issues, race and ethnicity, education, sacrifice, and isolation.
8. What does the narrator want and what are some obstacles that stand in the way of her getting what she wants?
Initially, Brenda wants Kali and gets him; they get into a relationship. Then Brenda wants to pursue her education and go to college. Some obstacles include:
Then Brenda wants to be with Kali again. Some obstacles include:
9. Describe some possible images in the play and how does the title help us understand the play.
The title helps us understand the play because the "queen's garden" refers to Auntie Mary's rose garden. In this garden, the last moments of the play take place where Kali is shot and the community starts to fall apart. This place marks the events that happened that night, and Brenda can never forget about it. The title hints at the resolution and ending of the play, so the audience can understand that both the peak and the resolution of the play happen at the queen's garden.
10. Briefly define the family relationships that are examined in the play.
Family is an important aspect of this play. Many of the families portrayed in this play are broken. For example, Hai, Brenda's roommate, does not have a family, Smoke is more or less adopted by Auntie Mary and leaves his lover and son at the end of the play, Rosie's lover is killed in the midst of the play, and Brenda's family kicks her out of the house. Even Kali and Brenda cannot be together in the end. These familial relationships are mostly strained. In this play, the relationships are both weak and strong. They initially start off strong but many of them fall apart by the end of the play. This could portray how life can be cruel and not everything can be perfect.